Deliberations on budget sans amendment are just empty ideas, say MPs

KATHMANDU: If the budget is not amended, it holds no meaning to discuss it in the parliament, according to lawmakers. The lawmakers expressed their dissatisfaction with the idea of discussing the budget for the fiscal year 2023/24 in the parliament unless it is amended. Parliamentarians have said the government has failed to consider and own up issues raised in the House regarding the budget adding that deliberations on it are just for formalities. Taking part in discussions on budget headings concerning the Office of the Vice President under Appropriation Bill, 2080 today, lawmaker Ramesh Lekhak said, "Other bills have parliamentary provisions about the amendment. But in the case of Appropriation Bill, the provisions are different. We understand them as proposals to cut expenditures. Such terminologies have prevented us to think about the probability of the budget amendment." He said questions are being raised within and outside parliament about the relevancy of the deliberations on the budget if lawmakers' concerns are not addressed. Devendra Paudel stressed addressing issues raised in the House about the budget in future policies and programmes, and budget. "To date, the practice is that deliberations are taking place just for making someone hear, but not for the documentation of the feedback and it should be corrected," he said underlining the need for a national consensus to improve the nation's economy, Manish Jha emphasized rewriting the budget endorsement procedures while Raghuji Panta raised the question about the viability of sources management in the fiscal year. He pressed the idea of annulling the provision of appointing advisors to the President and recognising the Vice President as an ex-officio member in the National Assembly to reduce the budget expenditures. By RSS READ ALSO:

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